Legends like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant left unforgettable legacies on the court. But before their iconic careers, fundamental changes were made off the court that shaped the NBA as we know it today. Ever wonder how players like Kobe could leap straight from high school to the pros? Or why free agency became a cornerstone of the modern league?

These monumental shifts didn’t happen overnight. Behind them were trailblazers like Oscar Robertson and Spencer Haywood, who fought legal battles that redefined player rights and reshaped the NBA’s future. Recently, Haywood took to Instagram to reflect on their groundbreaking contributions.

“WE CHANGED THE NBA RIGHTS FOREVER. THE GREAT OSCAR ROBERTSON AND SPENCER HAYWOOD ALL PRAISES,”  Haywood wrote, sharing a clip that highlighted their historic impact.

He captioned it, “THE US SUPREME COURT RULING (HAYWOOD VS NBA) THE SPENCER HAYWOOD RULE AND THE OSCAR ROBERTSON RULE. Do your homework NBA PLAYERS ❤️🙏🏾🏀✝️🤲🏾👏🏽💯❤️❤️”

Former NBA player Isiah Thomas also commented on the post and wrote “facts!!” while Mark Jackson added fire emojis. Stephon Marbury wrote a lengthy and wholesome comment to appreciate the two legends.

He wrote, “Some people didn’t appreciate the path to creating change in the game. It’s a blessing to have had individuals like you two and others stand firm in business. I consider you the basketball GODS who whisper wise words into the spirit of the game and culture. We are blessed to have you all still here in the flesh, as your spirits will live on forever.” 

What is the massive change that the basketball legend is talking about?

The answer takes us nearly five decades back to 1971 to Haywood’s basketball journey. He left college early to join the Seattle Supersonics. At that time, the NBA guidelines required players to wait four years after high school graduation to join the league. That led to a legal battle between Haywood and the NBA. 

Spencer Haywood’s legal battle against NBA

He received support from the Supersonics owner Samuel Schulman. He had constantly supported the legal battle with his finances to keep fighting. The case even went to the Supreme Court. Throughout these legal proceedings, Haywood wasn’t allowed to play. Haywood played his 11th game after being barred from the first 10, only to later be prohibited from playing another 10 games. In fact, during a game against Cincinnati, he was not allowed to enter the arena at all! 

The golden day for the NBA legend came on March 1, 1971. The court decided that the NBA’s eligibility rule was preventing players from earning a living. It was in violation of antitrust laws. In what became the famous ‘Haywood Rule,’ players were allowed to enter the league without the mandatory four-year rule stopping them.

Over the years, the gold medalist has forgotten a lot of things, but he always remembered this history-making moment. He won the NBA championship in 1980 with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2015, the NBA legend was inducted into the Hall of Fame. And one quote that has remained with him is what then-Supreme Court Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall said. 

Recalling his words, Spencer said, “He made all of this money for the Olympics, he made all this money for the University, he made all of this money for the ABA and yet he can’t make a living in the NBA.” He opened up about it during his appearance at Kevin Garnett’s KG Certified. In Haywood’s IG post, another NBA legend was mentioned. The 12-time NBA All-Star, Robertson who was the spark behind a historical change.

Who is Oscar Robertson?

Better known as the ‘Big O,’ he played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA. He was the most instrumental element of the legal battle that saw a change in free agency and draft rules. The case was filed on April 16, 1970, in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York.

At the time, Robertson was the president of the NBA Players Association. The case finally settled in 1976 came to be known as the “Oscar Robertson Rule.” How did it help the players? It removed the “option” or “reserve” clause in the NBA’s standard player contract, which had tied a player to a team for life. 

“It’s an honor and privilege to stand on the shoulders of the visionary man who has done so much for the game, on and off the court. Oscar Robertson’s legacy in securing free agency for NBA players, which ultimately led to free agency for all professional athletes, is a towering achievement every bit the equal of his unparalleled performance on the basketball court,” Chris Paul once said.

Thanks to this rule, unrestricted free agency was established in the NBA. He had advocated that if the players were getting paid as much as most of the entertainment stars did, it would only help elevate the game among the fans. The basketball legend wasn’t wrong. He was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2009. Robertson also co-founded the NBRPA in 1992 and served as its first president until 1998.

These two legends created history.